Global Positioning System Trisha Bruggner Julie Melancon Stephanie Goss Spring 2009

What is it? A satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. department of defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day.

Types of GPS Units  Automobile  Cell Phones*  Fish Finder  Fitness  Geological  Military  Motorcycle (*for most phones the cost is minimal, if not included in the standard carrier charges)

Automobile In Dash GPS: Is built into the dash of the car and is not portable. They are expensive in terms of functionality and the advantage is that they are built into the dash rather than on top of the dash.

Cell Phones  Cell phone manufacturers have incorporated a GPS receiver in virtually every cell phone. The combination of a cell phone and GPS is good for two additional uses: 1) driving directions in your automobile and; 2) the ability to use a cell phone as a handheld GPS for out- of-car purposes.

Fish Finder  Fish Finder GPS: Has a dual function of chart plotting and sonar technology. The chart plot identifies roads, shorelines, and surface areas, while the sonar technology locates fish.

Fitness  Fitness and Cycling GPS: Fits on the wrist or handlebars of a bike and is used for tracking speed, distance, pace, and calorie burn.

Geological  Geological GPS: Used for map-making and land surveying as well as a precise time reference which has been used for many different applications such as a scientific study of earthquakes and synchronized telecommunication

Military  Military GPS: Used to accurately targeting of enemy weapons. They are also used for detecting nuclear detonation.

Motorcycle  Motorcycle GPS: Similar to automobile GPS, however it is waterproof, vibration resistant, and has Bluetooth hands-free technology.  Motorcycle GPS: Similar to automobile GPS, however it is waterproof, vibration resistant, and has Bluetooth hands-free technology.

Costs GPS units range anywhere from $80-$2,000 Costs have come down considerably as we continue to progress technologically Pioneer - MOSFET 50W x 4 In-Dash Satellite Radio/Apple® iPod®-Ready/GPS Receiver $1, (Best Buy) Magellan - Factory- RoadMate 1200 Portable GPS $79.99 (Best Buy)

GPS in the Classroom   

Other Useful Things _for_you.htm _for_you.htm Cooke, Donald. (2005) Fun with GPS

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Authorship Information   Spring 2009  Trisha Bruggner-  Stephanie Goss-  Julie Melancon-